Drawer construction for show and stock cases



'July'l9, 1932'. A. J. HECHT DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOR SHCW AND STOCKCASES F1196 Dec. 11, 1929 www d v 00 o W1 0 M m Patented July 19, 1932ARTHUR J. HECH'T, on NEW YORK, N. Y

DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOR SHOW AND STOCK GASES Application filed December11, 1929. Serial a... 413,159.

This invention relates to drawer constructions for show and stock cases.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, having improved closure means movable with the drawers whenthe same are withdrawn from the shelves, and with the drawers serving toclose the spaces left vacant on the shelves. Another object of theinvention is the prom vision of a device of the nature set forth inwhich a closure means forthe spaces in the shelves formed on removal ofthe drawers coacts with the latter to afford an improved display ofarticles in the drawers; in which dei 1 vice the said closure means may,if desired,

co-operate to indicate theexistence of a vacant space in the shelveswhere a drawer has been removed; in which device the 'saidclosure meansmay be interchangeably used or associated with any of the drawers; andin which a closure means may be moved as a unit with a drawer. V

Another object of this invention is to furnish a device of the typementioned having '25 drawers with compartments or the like for holdingdifferent types of articles and improved indicating means associatedtherewith to show what articles are present in the drawersand in whichcompartments the same are located, whereby considerable time is savedthat would otherwise be consumed in searching among the articles in thecompart- '35 nish a drawer construction forshow and stock cases whichshall be neat at all times, rapid, reliable, andconvenient in operation,adapted for eficieiit use under a great variety of circumstances andconditions, simple .and 40 rugged in construction, and relatively inex--cases in which the drawers are removable pensive to manufacture. I@ther objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent as thespecification proceeds. I With the aforesaid objects in view, theinvention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in thesubj oined claim, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein likeparts article indicating tray removed. 7

view of the tray reing is'accordingly open spaces therein avoided.

are designated by the same reference'char'acters throughout the severalviews.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is aview in front elevation of a device embodying theinvention, with one of the drawers removed.

Fig-2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken on line 22'of FiFig. 3-is a top plan view 0 a'drawer Fig, 4 is a top, plan moved fromthe drawer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along theirregular line 5+5 of Fig. 1. r

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole. i a

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several diiferentconstructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merelyas showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

a In practice, particularly in large stores, all the drawers are removedfrom the shelves and placed on a table inclose side by side relation, sothat the trays may be readily discernible by the customers as they passalong the aisles. Thus the entire shelving is vacant, and the utility ofplacing the, dummies-or closures for closing the said spaces is clearlyapparent. The neat appearance of the shelv maintained andunsightlyGenerally described, the invention provides a drawer construction forshow and stock from the shelves, to be placed upon a table forwithdrawal of any article therefrom. lVhen this is done, according tothe usual practice in many stores, vacant spaces are left said spaces atthe points of removal of the drawers. These closure means may be conwith a "so the former arrangement, the said dummies may be permanentlyconnected in place, hingedly or otherwise; if the latter, the dun1 miesare removably connected to the drawers by any suitable releasablefastening means.

Accordingly, upon removal of a drawer, its

dummy is'detached andpositioned to close-the corresponding vacant space.Now toindicate the contents of the draweras the same is positioned onits shelf,.a suitable display arrangement is provided in co-operationwith thesaid dummy. 'Thisdisplaymay be fixedly associated :-wit-h thedrawer, and visible through the dummy, for which purpose the latter mayhave a window. The window also serves to indicate a vacant space ontheshelf. Each drawer may include a plurality ofcompartments for holdingdifferent articles. Seating inthe top of the drawer is-a tray or similardisplay support having articles positioned to coincide with articles ofthe same kind in the said compartments. Itgmaytherefore be noted at aglance in which .of the compartments a desired article is located,saving time in searching for the same. On removing the tray, the saidcompartments are accessible.

7 Referring in detail to thedrawing, 10 denotes .adevice; embodying theinvention. The

same includesa drawer construction fo'rshow and :stock cases, but oneform of which is illustrated herein. This comprises any suitablesupporting means 11 having vertical and horizontal elements .12 and 13,the latter :acting in the nature of shelves, whereby spaces are providedfor-thereception-ofcases or drawers 14. A suitable front 15 is providedat which the drawersa're accessible for removalor inspection. The rear16 may be :closed, ifdesired, but this, as well as the specificshelfconstruction can be .modified to suit various conditions orspecifications.

Each drawer 14 may be of box-like form,

-,and: arranged to .hold articles of different kinds. At the frontwalli17 ofthe-drawer is -adummy 18 which .coacts to close the vacant,space provided on removal of the-idrawer.

The-saiddummyma-y-bepositioned atthefront 15 of the construction1Q,'as,1foreXample,by

being set into therspace for the drawer .fric- .tionallyior-otherwise."Thedummycanberemovabl-y attached to-the-drawer by any fastening means,for instance, the sliding con- ,neotions consisting .of verticaldovetails 19 setting into corresponding grooves 20 in the front wall ofthe drawer. The slots QO-may be closed at the bottom to afford supportfor the dummy when connected to the drawer. hen set into. place on ashelf, the trout cide with front .face of the device .10.

.er, the dummy .is made quite thin as shown.

In order that it be properly retained on a shelfafter removal of'thedrawer therefrom,

a suitable engagement means such as springs 23 or any other meansisprovided at the side edgesof thedummy to frictionally engage the shelfconstruction. These springs may be set into .recesscs 24. 1 p

All'of the dummies maybe uniformly constructed for, interengagement withany of the drawers, and to preserve a neat appearance in the device 10.A display arrangementcoacts witheach dummy to indicate the contents :ofthe drawer. While the display maybe made in the dummy itself,.it ispreferably provided at the front wall 17 of the ,drawer, and may takethe form of airecess or compartment 25 in the said wall. Thiscompartment hasany suitable opening or window 26 covered with atransparent .non-

breakable material, such as isinglass, Into the compartment 25 are setarticles of the type contained in the drawer. The dumm 18 also has anopening or window .27 whici maybe covered with glass, isinglass, or thelike. Thus the display in the drawer may-be viewed through the window inthe dummy.

NVhen the drawer'is removed from the shelf,

the vacant space can be noted through the window in the dummy.

The drawer 14 has a plurality of adjustable lengthwise .and transversepartitions 28, 29, whereby the compartments 30 are provided. Foradjustingly setting the partitions, the wall of the drawer has verticalnotches or recesses 31 to receive the partitions, and the latter mayalsobesimilarly recessed at 32 for a like purpose. Thepartitions 2 8, 29terminate inra plane in spaced relation to the top of the drawer, atwhich plane a rabbet 33 is.- 7

formed for the reception of the indicator tray 34.

The tray 3i may be variously constructed and consists essentially of apiece of flat material 35 on which are locatedspecimens of the articlesinthe drawer. The said tray is adapted to seat in the rabbet 33, so thatthe upper surface thereof comes substantially I flush with the top ofthe drawer as shown in Fig. 2 One form of the tray may consistin theconstruction thereof as a flat box having adjustable partitions 28a,2941, with re face of the dummy may substantially coincesses 31a, 32a inthe wall and in the said par-' titions, constitutingcompartments 300which coincide with the compartments 30 of the;

drawer. Articles 36, such as cards containing buttons thereon, areplaced in the drawer compartments, and specnnens thereof in the traycompartments. It will be understood that each drawer compartment willcontain articles of but one kind, shape, or color.

The operation of the device will now be clearly apparent. The operatorobserves the display at the windows 27 of the dummies I and engages thefinger pieces 22 and withdraws the proper dummy and drawer as a unit,placing the same on a table. Then the dummy is detached from the drawerand replaced in the space on the shelf left vacant on removal of thedrawer. It may now be seen through the window of the dummy that saidspace is vacant and may receive a drawer. The operator next observes thedisplay on the tray 34 and notes at a glance the compartment in whichthe desired article'is located in the drawer. The tray is then removedand the article obtained. The operator will understand that all thearticles in one compartment are alike, as shownon the tray, and willavoid loss of time in searching for an article in a compartment that isnot present therein. The tray is then replaced in'the drawer, the dummyattached thereto, and the drawer and dummy unit. reinserted on theshelf.

.length as the front wall of the drawer and having the appearance of afront Wall of a drawer, means for removably securing the dummy to thefront of the drawer, and means for removably securing the dummy in saidcasing opening upon removal of the drawer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR J. HEOHT.

